Shipping charges are calculated automatically when you check out. They vary depending on the weight and size of the item. You will have several shipping options. These are described and you can choose the one that suits you the best. We ship most items Worldwide. If we can't ship an item it will state this clearly in the product description. We aim to break even on shipping, so shipping costs include the postage, all consumables (envelopes, boxes, tape etc), and the services of Aaron, our picker and packer. UK and Eu customers have to pay VAT on all shipping charges - including postage.

Shipping UK

For UK shipping we use either Royal Mail, MyHermes or iPost. First Class post (RM24) normally arrives the next working day. Second Class (RM48) post usually takes 2 or 3 working days.

In some cases we will ship your order as more than one package to meet the size and weight requirements of Royal Mail. If this is a problem, please select an alternative shipping option (Hermes/iPost).

For items longer than 61cm (i.e. beams and poles) we have to use the MyHermes service. This takes 3 to 5 working days for delivery.

If you need things very quickly, telephone; we can try to help but faster services are more expensive.

We ship Monday to Friday. Royal Mail collect from our factory at 2:45pm. Orders placed before 2:20pm are usually shipped the same day (not guaranteed, but we try hard!). MyHermes orders leave at 11:30am.

Shipping OverseasWe can ship to virtually any address in the world using Royal Mail. On some heavier orders (over 2 kg) or bulky orders we may use other carriers. Note that there are restrictions on shipping some products to international destinations.

In some cases we will ship your order as more than one package to meet the size and weight requirements of Royal Mail. If this is a problem, contact us before placing your order so that we can investigate alternative shipping methods.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping charges based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose.

Delivery times for Airmail items vary. Expect 5 working days to Europe, 8 working days to North America and 12 working days to Australia/New Zealand. Working days are Monday to Friday, not including UK Public holidays.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full weight unit.

Tracked Items

Tracked carriage is usually faster and more secure. When you opt for a tracked service (at checkout) we will send your item by the most economical tracked service. We normally use these carriers:

People sometimes ask if we have any additional tracking information; we don't! Once an item leaves the UK the detail of the tracking information varies widely depending on the carrier and the country the goods are in. We have no way of getting additional information - sorry.

Item did not arrive?

The good news is that over 99% of items arrive safely. If your item has not arrived it is usually the result of a delay rather than being lost in the post.

UK items are considered "lost" by Royal Mail after 15 working days from the date of postage. We will refund or resend after this time. If your item is taking a long while to arrive, here are some suggestions based on many years of experience:

check that it has not been left with neighbours or in some "safe" location near your front door;

check with other family members to see if they have a delivery card;

check with your local sorting office (bring identification and proof of address), occasionally items are returned there and no card is left.

Overseas items can take a long time to arrive. This time is not in our control. We will refund or replace after 20 working days (Europe) or 25 working days (rest of World) from the date of postage.

Note: Working days are Monday to Friday, not including UK Public holidays.

Shipping Offers

Occasionally we offer free or reduced-price shipping on certain items. If we do this we reserve the right to ship by the cheapest possible method. These offers only apply to the specific item and additional shipping charges may be applied for other items.

Returns Policys

You may return purchased items within 7 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs only if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

If you want to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. Please don't return an item until we contact you. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item. If you did not create an account, e-mail me at Richard@SOTAbeams.co.uk.

You should expect to receive your refund within two weeks of returning your package, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).